Filament wound crew rest enclosure structure

Abstract

A mobile platform personnel berth unit and a method for creating the mobile platform personnel berth unit are provided. A male mandrel is created defining an inner mold line surface of the berth unit. The male mandrel is overlayed with one or more layers of filament strips. The filament layers are thermally cured to create an integrated structural member. The male mandrel is then removed from the structural member. The structural member is profile shaped to create a semi-finished berth unit having a top, a bottom and a pair of integral side panels. Additional entrance and back panels as well as access panels and connecting hardware are then added to complete the berth unit.

1. A mobile berth unit for an aircraft and adapted to accommodate an individual, comprising:
 a body attached to an internal wall portion of the aircraft and having integrally joined perimeter walls defining a substantially hollow interior space; and 
 a wall thickness operably formed from at least one layer of a continuously wound filament; 
 an end wall attached to the body at one end thereof; and 
 wherein a material of the body contains a substantially graphite material. 
 
   
   
     2. The berth unit of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially graphite material further comprises a polymeric portion. 
   
   
     3. The berth unit of  claim 2 , wherein the polymeric portion comprises a phenolic adhesive material preimpregnated on the graphite material. 
   
   
     4. The berth unit of  claim 1 , wherein the integrally joined perimeter walls of the four-sided body comprise a top, a bottom and an opposed pair of side walls. 
   
   
     5. The berth unit of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of hardware bonded to the filament of the berth unit and operable to support both a weight and a dynamic load of the berth unit. 
   
   
     6. The berth unit of  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness further comprises a plurality of layers of wound filaments. 
   
   
     7. The berth unit of  claim 1 , wherein the wall thickness further comprises:
 an inner ply having at least one layer of the wound filament; 
 a core ply overlying the inner ply; and 
 at least one outer ply having at least one layer of the wound filament overlying the core ply. 
 
   
   
     8. The berth unit of  claim 7 , wherein the core ply comprises a honey-comb shaped structure. 
   
   
     9. A berth unit for an aircraft and adapted to accommodate an individual, the berth unit comprising:
 a body portion attached to an internal wall portion of the aircraft having integrally formed perimeter walls including top, bottom, and a pair of side walls forming a generally continuous, seamless portion, sufficient in size to enable an individual to enter an interior area thereof; 
 said body portion having a wall portion formed by at least one layer of a continuously wound filament extending in a plurality of unbroken turns around a full circumference of said body portion; and 
 an end wall attached to one end of said body portion. 
 
   
   
     10. The berth unit of  claim 9 , further comprising an attachment structure secured to one of said perimeter walls. 
   
   
     11. The berth unit of  claim 9 , wherein said filament comprise a graphite material. 
   
   
     12. The berth unit of  claim 9 , wherein said filament further comprises a polymeric portion. 
   
   
     13. The berth unit of  claim 9 , wherein said polymeric portion comprises a phenolic adhesive material. 
   
   
     14. The berth unit of  claim 9 , wherein said wall portion further includes a core ply sandwiched between a pair of layers of wound filaments. 
   
   
     15. The berth unit of  claim 14 , wherein said core ply comprises a honeycomb construction. 
   
   
     16. A berth unit for an aircraft adapted to accommodate an individual and adapted for placement in an overhead area within the aircraft, the berth unit comprising:
 a body portion attached to a structural portion of the aircraft and having integrally formed perimeter walls including top, bottom and side walls forming a generally continuous, seamless portion; 
 said body portion having a wall portion formed by at least one layer of a continuously wound filament; 
 an end wall attached to one end of said body portion; and 
 at least one connecting fitting integrally coupled to said body portion during manufacture of said body portion. 
 
   
   
     17. The berth unit of  claim 16 , wherein said wall portion is formed by a plurality of layers of a continuously wound filament. 
   
   
     18. The berth unit of  claim 17 , wherein said wall portion includes a core ply having a honeycomb construction, said core ply being sandwiched between a pair of layers of said continuously wound filament during construction of said body portion.